Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards New Roland digitals: HP508, HP506, HP504

Good morning folks,

Roland have launched a new series of 'HP' digital pianos:

http://www.roland.co.jp/products/jp/HP508/
http://www.roland.co.jp/products/jp/HP506/
http://www.roland.co.jp/products/jp/HP504/

This new product information has yet to appear on the English language Roland websites, however the main changes/improvements over the previous generation are:

- Redesigned music rest appearance and the ability to adjust the angle.
- Redesigned 'slim' buttons used for control panel.
- 'Dynamic Overtone' sound feature
- 88-key voicing
- PHA4 keyboard action (two types: 'Concert' and 'Premium') with improved key sensor and cushioning
- 3D sound effect when playing with headphones

More to follow...


Kind regards,
James
x

I look forward to play-testing these new pianos! But I have to wonder if they'll offer a slab version with this new "PHA4" action and other improved features. I still have my FP-7F and have yet to play anything else that would tempt me to upgrade....

K.

Improved key sensor and cushioning? Sounds like they have been reading these forums.

The only worthy improvement among the list is PHA-4 to be honest.

3D effect with headphones? LOL

same sound engine ? (KJ - you can read / translate Japanese ; any mention of improved SN engine and/or algorithms ?)

BTW, If they solved the thumping, that's already a big improvement.

For those of us you can understand Japanese:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=4HXJKKgfyLI

HP 508 PES 309000 yen (€ 2325)
HP 508 RW 259000 yen (€ 1950)
HP 506 PES 249000 yen (€ 1875)
HP 506 RW 199000 yen (€ 1498)
HP 504 RW 149000 yen (€ 1122)

Don't know how this pricing work (VAT included ? ) , since e.g. the HP507 is around € 3000 here , but it may give an indication.

Delivery date: ?

Two things needed for me, improvement to the keys hard bottoming, maybe they have done that, and SN version 2 without twangy metallic overtones in 5th octave.

Interesting graph in the video, what was that about? More ffff expression?

We got 3D effect from stereo recordings in the 60`s when they first appeared . . .really good. What went wrong that they have to bring it back? My old CLP820 had what sounded like 3D stereo. That`s why I bought it . .

From what I understand with my limited translation techniques (Google) they addressed both.

And honestly I do think a well-done 3D imaging effect for headphones (binaural ?) is a good thing. If the sound is placed "out of your head" in a convincing way , that eases the headphone stress a lot and gives you much more hours on headphones practicing to enjoy. I like the effort they take in that direction.

Peter said: We got 3D effect from stereo recordings in the 60`s when they first appeared . . .really good. What went wrong that they have to bring it back? My old CLP820 had what sounded like 3D stereo. That`s why I bought it . .

Well actually (at the risk of sounding pedantic), stereo, which appeared in the 50s/60's on records, is only one dimensional (1D),and the defunct 'quadrophonic' of the early 70's would have been 2D if it had worked properly: ditto with 'Dolby surround', which I assume DOES work quite effectively.

Whereas the '3D' description implies that you get the sound of the piano in full three dimensional space, including the vertical (up down). This seems to me improbable.

But something similar has existed for a long time. In headphones, this is called 'binaural', and the concept and even the (experimental)technology has been around for at least 50 years. But it has never been mainstream hi-fi. These days, however, with the popularity of headphones with DP players, they seem to be incorporating this little used effect into the newer DP specifications.

My headphones already give this effect very clearly but neither the headphones nor my DP advertises itself as 3D , afaik....it must be magic.

In the early 80's, the BBC made another attempt to resurrect binaural sound by broadcasting a new production of Sherlock Holmes on Radio 4 using this special recording technique.

'Look out Holmes!!, he's behind you!!' SOCK (in jaw)......that sort of thing.

Despite the fact that we adepts and boffins were sitting listening with careful attention on headphones, longing to be assaulted from behind, it was only partially successful and the project was quietly dropped after the first series.

How is it your headphones are already giving a 3D effect similar to binaural recordings? Binaural recordings can be very effective and don't require special headphones. I'm not sure what Roland is claiming, but if they incorporated something analogous to binaural recordings through modeling or some other method, it wouldn't require magic and could definitely create a different aural experience for headphone users.

Yes, Hideki Matsui - I agree with all you say. However, the fact is that I get an effect remarkably like binaural through Sennheiser 215 headphones (and not others) when plugged into my Roland HP302. The piano sounds as if it is in front of me, not as if it is in my head.

This is despite the fact that the type of headphone should not have to be specifically 'binaural' - merely stereo, and despite the fact that Roland do not say anything about the HP302 giving a 3D headphone output.

For exactly these reasons I said it must be magic.

Okay guys. I tried it today, but I have to say I 'm not expert.

Like 2 months ago I bought a kawai CS7 here in Montreal. Unfortunately it has not been possible to get it or even to know one day when it can be delivered. I made a deposit, and even the sales person has been very kind I'm starting to lose my mind. He hasn't been able to get a delivery date with his supplier ( I suppose Kawai US). I bought CS7 just becasue the famous CF action.

In the meanwwhile, I have had to look for other options, and I found the HP 508 recently unpacked in the authorized store. Without have tried the HP 507 in the past, which apparently for the comments is quite noisy in the keybed, apparently the upgrade in the keybed going from PHA 3 to 4 has worked.

i have to admit that I liked the action, and even without being extraordinary, I think as compared with the action of a V Piano, (which is pha3) this keybed is less noisy. I have turned off all volume, and the noise is what I could consider as "normal" compared against other options available.

On the other hand, regarding the sound, and without being expert, I did like the different piano sounds which are stable on every single key, so with the same amount of pressure, sounds are similar. the ivory feel also seems to be good and the piano allows to be played in fast forwrad speed if you you are really fast pianist. when asked about the samples, from which pianos the have been taken, sales person stated they are coming form Stenway but they cannot admit it public. I did like the different options with the pianos and the fact you can paly with the different lid levels.

Speakers are powerful and the sound is clear with no distortions even with high volume and bass key pressed

What I didnt like: pedals, they are really simple in terms of action, even I could have better action from my former less that $1000 DP (casio PX830). So it's 1 or 0, you have sustain or not, but there are not different levels if you just push softly the pedal.

On the other hand, I didnt like the fact of having digital bottons to increase or decrease the main volume. Even it goes up and down fast, the fact of using a botton, instead of an analog knob, for sure will drive to problems in the future, as those bottons will be be weared and abused over the years, as result of the multiple times pressed botton, with high probabiility of serious wearing in the contacts. I think no other bootons will have the same workload a those.

My understanding also is that poliphony is only 128 notes, whcih could be considered unacceptable today for the price level

The price. The store is asking lot of money for a model ($5400 plus tax) just because it is a new roland release. compared against international prices, it shouldn't be more than $4100 plus tax, but I think the store is charging a premium for being the only authorized dealar in Montreal)

If that one is the price, i think definitely buyers can see other options available. the price should be around the price of a CS7, which I consider its direct competitor.

I have played several DPS during my research, and so far my list of favorites.

1. Yamaha AG N2. I really like this piano and the action is probably the best one I have tried in terms of how easy is to play, and I Like the sound but over 11k is totally out my budget.
2. CA95/CS7/CS10, which I was only able to play once unfortunately but I like the action and that's why I decided to buy the CS7,
3. Yamaha AG N1. The plastic keys make a big difference compared with the N2, and you have cheapo feeling, although is a grand piano action. Also the power of the speakers is really low and poor, so with maximum volume you wont disturb any neighbor for sure ;), Quality of samples is good, but it's not worth $7300
4. HP508 (comments above but with a lower price is needed. but to be fair I think the price problem come with the only dealer here in Montreal)
5. Yamaha NU1. I have tried this one several times, and with the action of an upright, for me is hard to play, even some black keys tend to remain silent if you decide to press them gently. Same playing in an AG N2 aside and the problem went, responsiveness is 100 better in the N2, even the fact both of them are hybrid actions. sound volume is simply okay

so now, in my case I dont know what to do if kawai doesnt give a look when they are expecting to deliver.


Well so far this is what I have. Hope this helps.

No, it shouldn't be considered unacceptable as it is not a limiting factor at this level.

Thanks for your review, though. I'm glad you were able to try a lot of pianos and even give us some first impressions of the new Roland offerings.

Interesting, as when I was looking for a dp the only real issue I had with the Rolands was the noisy keybed.

Anyway, I think that once you are happy with a couple of models or 3 you also have to look at the price tag and that will decide it, at least for me. I do also think that many models are quite overpriced... or maybe others are selling very cheap for all their specs.

"- 3D sound effect when playing with headphones"

Was gonna post concerning this feature which is common enough on films (through headphones). My first encounter with a DP was a CLP550 which appeared to have wide stereo or something. Might`ve been stereo reverb, no more. I loved it, eventually bought the CLP820 in `98 which exhibited 3D stereo in "piano1" mode. You couldn`t turn it off. It wouldn`t play mono and sound right (for a band application, had to use "piano2" for that). More expensive pianos on the shop didn`t have this feature except by choice probably, certainly not by default.

So it`s nothing new. Old clp`s 550 and 820 trade for crazy sums these days. . .

But Peter - as I said in more detail in the posts above (on the 5th of November 13) there is a big difference between stereo and 3D sound! Stereo, as it's normally delivered with 2 speakers, is only ONE dimensional - and I suppose the 'wide' effect that can be created with phase shifts just manages to stretch that one dimension a bit. Binaural, on the other hand, takes you into other dimensions - literally.

Whether it actually works well in these new Rolands is, of course, another matter.

HA! I forgot this wasn`t too recent a posting. Or my Short Term`s shorter than I thought; But- no. I was referring to more than stereo. The sound came from in front of me. I could point to where each note played from. Just like in the films. AND with cheap phones which replaced the original Yamahas which were awful. I remember Yamah also having some Acoustic something or other which sounded similar, on their CLP270 range.

Oh - right, we're on the same wavelength, then. This is what I'd call 'binaural'.



Really?.....wow!



Well, quite so, yes. The Dolby Surround type films, right?